Question: Horned lizards in Carolina?

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Kyle from Carolina
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Question: Horned lizards in Carolina?

Post by Kyle from Carolina »

So I was browsing the herps of NC webpage and saw texas horned lizards described as introduced to a few localities in NC. This sparked a memory of a few (or maybe just one?) preserved individual(s) from NC that I came across while working in the UNCW herp collection during undergrad. Does anybody ever come across these or know if those populations still exist?
There are no records in NAHERP and nothing I found while searching in previous forum posts...Is there something I'm missing?
Coluber Constrictor
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Re: Question: Horned lizards in Carolina?

Post by Coluber Constrictor »

All the old books say they're established here in coastal AL/FL as well, but I've NEVER known anyone, herper or otherwise, who's found one here. I figured they'd been extirpated from this area. Did a little internet research and apparently they've been seen in the Pensacola area as recently as 2006? :shock:

According to the Carolinas and Virginia herp book, P. cornutum is established in Onslow County NC and some of the barrier islands of SC.
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BillMcGighan
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Re: Question: Horned lizards in Carolina?

Post by BillMcGighan »

4 or 5 years ago, before the "great FORUM crash", someone had a post that included a TX HL from a barrier island.
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JakeScott
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Re: Question: Horned lizards in Carolina?

Post by JakeScott »

I've found them on the beaches north of Jacksonville, FL and seen one on Isle of Palms in South Carolina. Never have heard of them being as far north as North Carolina. Doesn't mean they aren't there, though.

-Jake
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Kyle from Carolina
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Re: Question: Horned lizards in Carolina?

Post by Kyle from Carolina »

Thanks for the response, folks. Interesting to hear that they are other places in the southeast as well. I'm surprised I don't hear more about them. Maybe this will make for an interesting target when I am back in coastal NC this october. If only they liked our fire ants...
frogfish
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Re: Question: Horned lizards in Carolina?

Post by frogfish »

Jeff Beane believes the NC population has been extirpated by house cats. I think Wayne Fidler found what he thought was horned lizard tracks upon a fire ant mound in one of the subdivisions that used to have horned lizards about 4 years ago? Don't hold me to that though
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